Secluded Corners
by bumblezee
Summary: AU. one-shot. I wasn't ordinary, nor was I able to be. I was cursed to die alone and with my fears; not even the condolences of a beautiful stranger were going to save me.


**I feel obliged to apologize, since I've been working on other in-progress stories instead of updating BCP. This one-shot was just a spur of the moment thing, which didn't turn out too badly. I don't usually write in present, so it was more of an experiment. In any case, I hope you enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: when I take over the world, the first thing I shall do is steal Inuyasha away... - insert maniacal laugh here - **

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"Are you Higurashi Kagome?"

I nod slowly in the direction of the booming voice, not daring to say anything. Let them think you're just shy, Kagome. That's how you deal with all the other schools.

"Good. Welcome to _Tōkyō Kōtōgakkō_!" I sneak a quick glance upwards, daring to catch a slight glimpse of the man addressing me. He's a lot taller than me, with thinning black hair, crinkly eyes that show kindness, an imposing stature that screams authority and a bright smile. I had been told he was the principal.

Good. At least I know whom to avoid from now on.

I quickly replace my gaze once again on my feet.

He places a reassuring hand on my shoulder and says, "No need to be shy, Ms. Higurashi. I will be checking up on you every once in a while just to see how well every thing is going with your adapting."

I barely manage to compress my look of terror. Checking up on me? Every once in a while? I swallow the lump in my throat, and to let him know I understand, I nod again.

A few more minutes flash by as he prints out my schedule for me and leads me to my first class. I keep my head politely bowed as he introduces me to my new Physics teacher and I stay silent.

"Thank you very much, sir. Ms. Higurashi, please take a seat."

I take my first nerve-racking step into the classroom, into the line of sight of about thirty other teenagers. I know every eye is on me. I know everyone's attention is on me. I feel it as if it were a physical pain in every visible part of me. I feel disgustingly naked and vulnerable to these stranger's searching glances and my stomach churns nervously. I want to run far away. Far away from these people and their judging natures. Live alone and in solitude.

But she would find me. She knows every single thing about me, every flaw, every insecurity. She knows me better than I know myself. If I were to run, she would be right behind me with her shadow-like presence, haunting me until I went crazy or killed myself. She once told me her favourite sport was torturing me.

I take a shaky breath, forcing it down my lungs. One day she won't be able to hurt me. One day I'll be free; free to love, and laugh, and have fun.

At least, that's what I keep telling myself.

The fifteen or so steps I take that carry me to the back of the classroom seem to take forever and my sneakers drag heavily on the floor. I find an empty seat quickly and sit down silently, keeping my eyes on the wood of the desk in front of me. I nervously attempt to acknowledge the smooth unmarked surface, trying to forget about all those gazes curiously fastened upon my person. I learned the dozen or so other times I had moved that as long as I ignored everyone else, they would slowly loose interest in me and ignore me in return.

Physics unhurriedly passes and as the day progresses, I feel more and more eyes on my back, burning holes in my already tattered and destroyed self-confidence. I try and not let the almost substantial pain hunch my shoulders. I need to look indifferent. I need to just blend in the background.

As the days pass by in a blur, I am aware of a few friendly girls who say hi to me and ask me if I want to eat with them. I decline, of course. I cannot afford to make friends.

I do not even want to think of what she would do to them if she found out.

Eventually, after a few more weeks pass, the girls stop trying to invite me into their group. They still smile kindly at me while walking by in the hallways, which warms my heart in a way they will never know. I used to have friends once upon a time. But that was a long time ago.

I think silently about this by myself – of course – while in the middle of my history project. Suddenly Japan in the 1500's seems tedious when compared to the joyful laughter of those girls who had invited me to eat with them.

They sit, all four of them, at a round table not fifty feet away. From the smiles on their faces, I can tell they are enjoying each other's company. One says something and in reaction, all of them burst into delightful giggles. For a moment, I am transfixed on their actions. They all seemed so enchanting, so happy, so undisturbed.

Peaceful.

_You're not like other girls, Kagome. Don't ever think that you could ever stride to be as normal as they are._

My back suddenly stiffens in undeniable fear, my eyes widening in terror. It's… it's her voice. Why… how did she find me?

Her laugh rings out hollowly. _You stupid girl. How could you ever think you'd be able to escape me?_

My head jerks around, trying to locate the body that corresponds with that cruelly void voice. Panic slowly fills my limbs with cold cement, dread a frosty hand that grips my throbbing heart in its death grip.

_Find me, Kagome. Come on; use your head. Find me!_

Seeing no one around me but empty shelves, I try to draw in a deep breath, barely managing to draw air into my mouth. You're imagining it, I tell myself. She can't hurt you anymore. She can't hurt you.

_You've got five more seconds, Kagome. If you don't find me, then I'll come searching for you!_

I desperately cover my ears forcefully with my hands as I screw my eyes shut. Tears are welling up in my eyes; I can feel them. My lips move in silent prayers. Oh God, please. Please.

_Five, four, three, two… one. Ready or not, little Kagome, here I come…_

Her chanting is so deafening in my ears – I cannot shut it out. The panic rises to unreachable heights and I start shaking in implausible horror. No. No no no no. Go away. Go away. This… cannot be happening.

_Come out, come out, wherever you are!_

I choke on the rising sob lodged in my throat, preventing me to breathe. A single tear makes its way down the side of one cheek. Please, God.

_Found you._

Then I see her before me, her lifeless brown eyes and blank expression overpowering my senses. Her presence itself is like a hungry predator, eating away at the life in her surroundings. A dark shadow blocks out all light. I cannot see and blind terror rises to constrict my throat like a hand crushing my windpipe. My heart beat speeds up and I fear it will burst out of my chest. The death in her eyes makes me think of my mother, of my father and of my baby brother. She slaughtered them like useless animals with her merciless ways, using disturbing toys to do her work. She cannot be human.

In my panic, I don't see her movement; I am paralyzed by my crushing fear. I do not see the knife either until it is just a hilt sticking out of my chest where my heart used to be. In my shock, I put my hand to the wound and my fingers come back sticky with dark red vital fluid. The life bit by bit flows out of me through the hole in my chest and my vision becomes dull and fuzzy. I take a step back as I try to draw in a pained breath only to find myself falling, falling again into a fathomless pit of death, of pain, of blood… no way to crawl out…

But just before the last shaft of light disappears from my sight, I let out a blood-curdling scream that ascends from the bottom of my panic paralyzed toes into my throat and tears itself into the empty air, echoing,… echoing…

Please, somebody help me….

Please….

And through the darkness, the never-ending darkness, strong arms embrace me and hold my trembling body. I sag into the comfort, desperately seeking reassurance and safety, another person to soothe my fears and to lean on for support. Oh how I've missed the luxury of having somebody close…

My eyes suddenly widen when I realize that I am not hurt, nor am I any longer in the library, but in the arms of a teenage boy in the middle of a deserted hallway. I must have bolted.

"It's okay… shh…" Although his words are whispered, I still hear them clearly and my body slowly starts to calm, my trembling slowly turning into slight shivering. His presence makes me feel safe.

And for a moment, that scares me.

"No, stop. Hey… hey…" His strong embrace does not move an inch as I struggle intensely against the circle of his arms. I start whimpering; the sudden urge to run mobilizes my legs again and all I want to do is hide, hide far away and not come back into the light, ever again.

"You're safe, you're safe… No one is going to hurt you…"

I freeze as if a bucket of ice-cold water is suddenly dumped on my head, the freezing cold temperature stunning me into oblivion. H-How can this stranger just say things like that? Doesn't he realize that I'm cursed? That I'm destined to die alone and with my fears? I should run, run away from him and save him from being cursed along with me….

But he takes advantage of my shock and pulls me tighter against his warm, hard chest. His arms reach farther around my shoulders and hold me tighter, his breath warm on my neck.

"It's going to be okay…"

I stay silent as he starts to hum soothingly in my ear while slowly rocking my shock-paralyzed body. He's got a nice deep voice that slowly calms my nerves. It reminds me of my dad.

My dad… with his deep understanding brown eyes, kind smile and easy disposure. He was my idol, my pillar of support, my best friend….

_Run, Kagome, run! _

That thought strikes a cord and I turn and bury my face in the stranger's chest, hot tears streaking their way down my face and staining his forest green sweater. I sob uncontrollably, my body trembling along with my sudden catharsis. The stranger doesn't move at my abrupt breakdown but continues to hum in my ear.

It takes a few minutes more for me to calm down. When rational thought comes back to me, I realize that I'm bawling hysterically on a boy's shirt. Embarrassment floods my cheeks and I make a move to get off of his lap.

Showing weakness is what made her affect you so much.

But he stops me. Instead of letting me scoot as far away as possible and maybe hide for the rest of the day, he places one arm under my knees and the other behind my shoulders and lifts me fully onto his lap. I make a tiny noise of protest, but it is easily cut short when he wraps his arms around me once again and tucks my head under his chin.

We stay like that for a few more minutes. My breathing slowly returns to normal while I listen to the strong beating of his heart in his chest. When he lets out a shallow sigh, I place one hand on his chest and push myself away from him. I-I can't be this close to another person.

"Don't go."

My wide gaze first flies to the large hand wrapped gently around my wrist and then up into the stranger's face. I try not to let out a gasp; the guy is stunning. Shouldn't he be with his girlfriend, not comforting a nobody like me?

His molten amber eyes are guarded and yet I can see the pain down deep. Something in his expression stops me; something in the way he is looking at me is almost vulnerable. I-I want to wrap myself in his embrace again…

He smiles apologetically at me, taking in my shocked expression. "Sorry… I guess I acted without thinking…."

His eyes take on a far away look and by the slight twist of his lips I can tell it's not a pleasant memory he is reliving.

"It's just—" he stops himself and clears his throat. "Y-You looked like you needed someone…"

My gaze leaves his face and falls to stare blindly at the large hand now resting on my leg.

_No one can help you now._

The hand on my leg moves and before I know it, he tips two fingers underneath my chin and lifts my face to his eyes, our gazes colliding. His liquid pools of sunlight search deeply in the dark depths of my chocolate orbs, looking for an answer to my pain. I can't move under the intensity of his gaze.

When he finally speaks, I find myself slightly leaning into his touch. "What happened to you?" he whispers, although he doesn't seem aware that he has said anything out loud.

Nor does he react when I freeze once again and go stiff in his arms. His eyes are still searching, analyzing the thoughts and emotions swimming around in my telltale eyes. She had always told me my eyes were like an open book.

_You're so predictable._

"Who are you running so desperately from?"

This time he does react when my limbs prepare to spring by wrapping his arms once again around my waist, refusing to let me go. I start to struggle once again, thrashing around violently, hoping that he will just label me a lost cause and let me flee. Oh God, I cannot handle this…

With a strangled cry of defeat, I go limp once again and I can feel more tears on my cheeks. "No, no…" I sob, pathetically slapping my hand against his tough shoulder. "Let me go… I need to run… sh-she'll find me...."

His eyes are suddenly on my face again and dead serious. "Who? Who will find you?"

I just continue to sob, muttering incoherently, "I-I need to go… no, no… she'll get you, too…."

Both of his large warm hands grab my face and make me look him in the eye. "Who is after you?"

I go to open my mouth to tell him, to tell the first human being the truth, but my moment is denied when the sudden slamming of doors breaks through the silence painfully. I look up in surprise.

The blood in my veins goes cold.

"Oh, there you are, Kagome." The expression on her face is kind, but her eyes are as always; void. A tight smile is forced upon her thin lips. "I see you made friends this time around."

I feel her cold gaze on the stranger and I risk a glance in his direction to check his response. His expression is neutral but I can see that the wall is up in his gaze, his emotions locked away from her hungry eyes. He doesn't turn to look at me and so misses the look of panic displayed plainly across my face.

She, however, does. The tight smile widens to show perfect white teeth. "I think all this moving around has gotten to you. I've already talked to all your teachers; you're free to come home for the afternoon."

My heart beats loudly in my chest and I close my eyes in fright. In the privacy of my mind, I beg God to not let the constant throbbing of my vital organ be heard; it would serve as a purpose for her to punish me. I fight back the tears and the thick knot wedged in my windpipe.

The soothing circles his thumb makes on my back shocks me and I look up to find him giving me a bitter smirk. I know by reading his eyes that he knows; he will help me escape.

Who is this beautiful stranger?

"That's a good idea. You might feel better tomorrow," he supplies.

She nods her head in approval. "I'm sorry, Kagome has not ever mentioned your name…"

"Inuyasha," he answers with a smooth smile.

His acting is superb; she even seems to be taken with the polite young student.

But at her next wicked grin, I freeze and my legs solidify in pure terror. Dread is like chilly fingers running themselves up and down my spine. She isn't fooled, not one bit.

"Why don't you come over after school, Inuyasha?" she replies with sardonic pleasure shining in her black eyes. "I'm sure Kagome would love to show you our lifestyle."

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**Well, there you have it. Thanks for reading! **

**xx. bumble. **


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